This invention relates in general to instrument panels for vehicles, and in particular to a method of manufacturing an instrument panel incorporating wiring therein.
Virtually all passenger vehicles include an instrument panel generally positioned underneath the windshield and attached to the frame of the vehicle behind the engine compartment. Generally, the ends of the instrument panel are attached to lateral side members of the frame of the vehicle. The instrument panel encloses various vehicle components, such as electrical and ventilation systems, audio systems, vehicle instrument gauges and displays, and auxiliary compartments.
To connect the various electrical components mounted in the instrument panel, electrical wiring is typically routed within or about the instrument panel, such as adjacent to the ventilation ducts. Typically, the instrument panel is first mounted on the vehicle at a vehicle assembly plant. After installation, the wiring is manually routed to appropriate locations within the instrument panel. The wiring is then attached to the instrument panel, such as by pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Openings formed in the instrument panel assist in manually routing the wiring. The openings are generally formed for receiving components or storage compartments not yet installed on the instrument panel. Typically, an electrical fuse box or power distribution block is mounted in or adjacent the instrument panel to which a portion of the wiring is connected for providing electrical power to the component. Wiring may also be used for providing electrical communication for conveying information between various electrical components. Additional wiring may also be routed through the instrument to connect other electrical components not mounted in the instrument panel or not connected to the fuse box.
Modern vehicles include numerous wires to electrically connect the electrical components together. Therefore, instead of routing loose arrays of wires throughout the instrument panel, the wires are appropriately grouped together to form a wiring harnesses. The wiring harness includes electrical connectors attached to the ends of the wires to provide a mating electrical connection with another connector electrically. Although this manner of routing wiring through the instrument panel and attaching it thereto has been found satisfactory in the past, the manual routing and attachment is time consuming and costly. The wiring is also susceptible to vibration generating unwanted noise.
This invention relates to an instrument panel and method of manufacturing the same. The instrument panel includes a first portion and a second portion separate from the first portion. At least one wire is disposed between the first and second portions. The first and second portions are welded together, thereby trapping and retaining the wire.
In the preferred method of manufacturing the instrument of the present invention, at least one wire is disposed between first and second portions. The first and second portions are then welded together such that the wire is retained between the first and second portions. In a more preferred method, the first portion is made of a first material having a first pigmentation, and the second portion is made of a second material having a second pigmentation different from the first pigmentation. The weld is created by use of a laser, wherein the wavelength of the laser beam is set such that the laser beam generally passes though the first portion and is absorbed by the second portion, thereby heating the second material to create a weld between the first and second portions.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.